Ezekiel

2 And he proceeded to say to me: “Son of man,*+ stand up upon your feet that I may speak with you.”+ 2 And spirit began to come into me as soon as he spoke to me,+ and it* finally made me stand up upon my feet that I might hear the One speaking to me.+

3 And he went on to say to me: “Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel,+ to rebellious nations that have rebelled against me.+ They themselves and their forefathers have transgressed against me down to this selfsame day.+ 4 And the sons insolent of face+ and hard of heart+—I am sending you to them, and you must say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah* has said.’ 5 And as for them, whether they will hear+ or will refrain+—for they are a rebellious house+—they will certainly know also that a prophet himself happened to be in the midst of them.+

6 “And you, O son of man, do not be afraid of them;+ and of their words do not be afraid, because there are obstinate ones+ and things pricking+ you and it is among scorpions+ that you are dwelling. Of their words do not you be afraid,+ and at their faces do not you be struck with terror,+ for they are a rebellious house.+ 7 And you must speak my words to them, regardless of whether they hear or they refrain, for they are a case of rebellion.+

8 “And you, O son of man, hear what I am speaking to you. Do not become rebellious like the rebellious house.+ Open your mouth and eat what I am giving you.”+

9 And I began to see, and, look! there was a hand thrust out to me,+ and, look! in it there was the roll of a book.+ 10 And he gradually spread it out before me, and it was written upon in front and on the back;+ and there were written in it dirges and moaning and wailing.+